Sustainability l The compulsory passive standard – what will it mean?
The last of the three BuildGreen conferences of 2012 looked at the important question of how the Brussels legislation making the passive standard compulsory from 2015 would impact the market in concrete terms. Nathalie Saverys and Kathleen Iweins once again managed to attract top quality, relevant speakers to address the delegates.

| 15/05/2013

MARKET TRENDS | BRUSSELS l A self-regulating market but which is facing many challenges
Despite a somewhat perturbed economic, social and political climate, transactions during 2012 on the Brussels office market can be described as satisfactory, although the investment level was disappointing. Take-up from companies and administrations was 11% up compared to 2011, vacancy is down but remains around the 10% mark, and ‘face-value’ rents are, in general, stable.

| 15/05/2013

Offices l Poor performance partially due to the scarcity of modern buildings
In Belgium, Antwerp is the second largest office market after Brussels. It represents around 10% of total Belgian office stock, some 1.900.000 m² excluding Mechelen. Despite its reduced size compared to Brussels and other large European cities, the Antwerp market offers considerable advantages, such as the presence of one of Europe’s most important ports, excellent national and international means of transport (particularly to the Netherlands and Germany), a well-developed logistics network, and a good balance between different economic sectors (industry, offices and retail). But Antwerp suffers from mobility issues and a scarcity of high quality buildings.

TOWN PLANNING l An architectural gem for Spoor Noord
On 13 June 2009, the 24-hectare ‘Park Spoor Noord’ was ceremonially opened. Today, there is a great deal of construction activity on the remaining 6 hectares at the northern end of the former railway siding, enclosed between the Noorderlaan viaduct and Ellermanstraat. The new AP University College building will be the site’s architectural gem.

| 14/05/2013

TOWN PLANNING l Public call for tenders for Neo
With the mixed-use NEO urban plan the City of Brussels wishes to exploit the huge potential of the Heyzel plateau for new economic and tourism opportunities. On an estimated surface of 18 hectares out of the 68 hectares making up the Heyzel Plateau, this quality mixed-use project development plan includes the building of an internationalscale convention centre, a shopping centre, a hotel, housings and leisure facilities.

| 14/05/2013

TOWN PLANNING l Projet Urbain Loi - New Developments with an evolving urban framework
The ‘Projet Urbain Loi’ (PUL) is one of the twelve urban and architectural projects set out by the European District blueprint, adopted by the Brussels Capital region government in April 2008. Designed to be a catalyst for the redevelopment of the European district, the Projet Urbain Loi conceived by French architectural bureau ‘Atelier Christian de Portzamparc’ was evaluated and approved by a Brussels decree on December 16th 2010.

| 14/05/2013

TOWN PLANNING l Mechelen, ideal central location - Interview with Greet Geypen
Mechelen’s position exactly midway between Antwerp and Brussels, on the country’s busiest rail route, represents an enormous advantage for the city: it is just 10 minutes to Brussels and 20 minutes to Antwerp. With some impressive infrastructure projects, Mechelen is preparing to put itself emphatically on the map in the next few years for both residential developments, offices and retail.